Foxes Adopted This Man After He Nursed Them Back To Health [Photos]

Patsy Gibbons is gaining a reputation in Ireland for nursing sick and abused fox cubs back to health.

Credit: Clodagh Kilcoyne

A fox may not be everyone’s ideal companion, but Irish native Patsy Gibbons holds no prejudice towards helping animals in need. After relatives and friends approached him with different cases, he graciously opened his home to foxes Gráinne, Minnie, and Henry.

The foxes must have found his company desirable, for even after they were nursed to health, they refused to leave their rescuer’s side.

Credit: Clodagh Kilcoyne

The Irish Examiner relays that the animal lover never set out to have pet foxes, it just happened. He told the press:

“I ended up looking after Gráinne since she was only seven-weeks-old. My brother-in-law found her in a box looking for heat in a storeroom close to Columba’s Hospital in Thomastown. My brother-in-law said we should try to do something as she was so thin. I took her to the local vet and so I just continued on caring for her and haven’t stopped.”

Credit: Clodagh Kilcoyne

In addition to caring for the foxes, Gibbons manages 28 hens, 12 ducks, two dogs, and two cats. Though he doesn’t plan on expanding his brood anytime soon, animals have a habit of wandering into his life – especially since local folks know that he cares for orphaned fox pups.

“The foxes, Gráinne, Minnie, who is five-years-old, and 11-month-old Henry, named after star hurler Henry Shefflin, do get a lot of attention from the children living around here, and now primary schools are asking me to bring them along so the students can see them at first-hand. It’s keeping me very busy,” he says.

Credit: Clodagh Kilcoyne

Minnie was brought to Gibbons as a month-old fox after she was found by a woman in Kilmaganny while Henry was given to him after the pup was attacked by a dog in Graiguenamanagh.

The photos reveal Gibbons’ fondness for the foxes, as well as their mutual appreciation.

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